In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.
Schools and nurseries260111 primary · 20 secondary · 110 nurseries
Primaries Good or better97%England 96%
Met the standard at 1159%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths40%Attainment 8 43.3, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary20%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school18%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in North Northamptonshire
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About North Northamptonshire
North Northamptonshire is a unitary authority in the East Midlands with 111 mainstream primary schools and 20 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Wellingborough, Corby and Kettering. 85.2% got their first-choice secondary school, against 83.6% across England.
Good to know in North Northamptonshire
For a primary place you must list three school preferences in priority order. Source
Infant schools have a linked junior school with some priority, but you must still apply for the junior place because it is not allocated automatically. Source
Distance tie-breaks are measured in a straight line unless a school says otherwise. Source
Rural village schools may have a linked area that gives some priority when the school is oversubscribed. Source
Free school transport is only provided to your nearest suitable school that has places. Source
Some secondary schools need a supplementary information form in addition to the council application. Source
From North Northamptonshire council's website, checked 7 November 2026. Check the council's pages before you apply.
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
93.9%got their first-choice primary school in North Northamptonshire in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 62 of 151 councils. 98.9% got one of their top three.2.8% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
85.2%got their first-choice secondary school in North Northamptonshire in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 70 of 151 councils. 96.4% got one of their top three.7.6% were offered a secondary school in another council. England: 8.0%.
Source: DfE applications and offers, 2026. A low rate shows high demand, not poor schools.
2 of 46 primary appeals heard in North Northamptonshire succeeded in 2025. 24 of 134 secondary appeals heard in North Northamptonshire succeeded in 2025.
For schools that follow the council's dates. Academies, faith and foundation schools can set their own, and schools add training days. Source, checked 6 November 2026.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up North Northamptonshire
North NorthamptonshireEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 87 primaries with one.
97%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
12 of the 14 with a grade.
86%
England 93%
Below England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
59%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
40%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
18%
England 18%
Close to England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
20%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 118 schools that have one.
95%
Good or Outstanding
Each square is 1% of schools.
Outstanding10
Good102
Requires improvement3
Inadequate3
How it has changed
North Northamptonshire in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1159% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths40% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school18% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
The figures in full
The latest published year for each measure. Sources and years are on our data sources page.
Measure
North Northamptonshire
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
95%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
59%
62%
Attainment 8
43.3
46.2
Persistent absence
18%
18%
Pupils per teacher
19.2:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£7,317
£8,120
In education or work after 16
91%
91%
Went on to higher education
58%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
20%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
20%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
21%
27%
DfE local authority code 940, ONS code E06000061.
Living here
What it's like for families
North Northamptonshire has 260 schools and nurseries across 13 towns and villages, the biggest being Wellingborough, Corby, Kettering and Rushden.
There are 6% more pupils than in 2018.
20% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in North Northamptonshire's state schools each January.
53.1k2018
54.1k2019
54.9k2021
55.8k2022
56.3k2023
56.7k2024
56.5k2025
56.1k2026
Up 6% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
North Northamptonshire20%
Keep up with schools in North Northamptonshire
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Questions parents ask about North Northamptonshire
How many schools are in North Northamptonshire?+
North Northamptonshire has 260 schools, including 119 primary schools, 34 secondary schools, 110 nurseries, 9 independent schools, 11 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in North Northamptonshire?+
The highest-ranked schools in North Northamptonshire on Eduscope are Bishop Stopford School, Broughton Primary School, Kings Cliffe Endowed Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in North Northamptonshire are rated Good or Outstanding?+
95% of inspected schools in North Northamptonshire hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 10 schools rated Outstanding and 102 rated Good.
How do primary schools in North Northamptonshire perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in North Northamptonshire, 59% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in North Northamptonshire?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in North Northamptonshire is 19.2:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in North Northamptonshire schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in North Northamptonshire is 17.8%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in North Northamptonshire?+
There are 56,109 pupils enrolled across schools in North Northamptonshire, with 30,359 in primary and 25,296 in secondary. 20.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in North Northamptonshire?+
There are 9 independent schools in North Northamptonshire. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in North Northamptonshire on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in North Northamptonshire?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 260 schools in North Northamptonshire by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
